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Wimbledon 2007 - webnews

Roger Federer's march to greatness is relentless. The statistics say so. With his fifth consecutive Wimbledon title, he equalled the feat of the legendary Bjorn Borg.

He captured his 11th Grand Slam, again equalling Borg, and now stands just three away from the all-time record holder Pete Sampras.

He has won 34 consecutive matches on the grass courts of Wimbledon, 54 on grass in all competitions.

But statistics do not tell the whole story. Not when it comes to the grace and elegance and the sheer majesty with which Federer has dominated his sport.

BJORN BELIEF (kentucky.com)

Bjorn Borg had called Roger Federer "an orchestra," a man playing his tennis symphonies with an entire, versatile string section at the ready. And Federer required all his music and composition yesterday on Centre Court against Rafael Nadal, a human topspin machine who can hum a few shots himself.

Federer would win this final, 7-6 (7), 4-6, 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-2, equaling Borg's modern-day record of five straight Wimbledon titles in plain view of the Swedish superstar, who was sitting approvingly above in the royal box. It was his 11th major championship overall, closing in again on the record of one of Federer's few remaining critics, Pete Sampras, who has 14.

Federer smacked the winning overhead and sank to his knees, then hung his head in exhaustion as he sat in a chair. "I was almost crying already when I was up 5-2," Federer would say. He looked like Ali after 15 rounds with Frazier. He made a gracious speech in a fresh, five-piece white ensemble.

Fifth one for the ages (The Globe and Mail)

Roger Federer got the fifth Wimbledon title in a row he so badly wanted - and with it, the benediction of the man whose record he equalled.

As a lob floated above him awaiting his smash on his second match point, Federer's thoughts wandered.

"Lots of images go through your mind," he said after the match, "especially on a ball like that when you have all that time. I'd already been through it when I sat down [between games] and thought 'I'm winning 5-2.' I almost started crying.

Federer Joins Elite With Wimbledon Win (forbes.com)

Locked in the toughest test of his Wimbledon reign, against his only real rival in today's game, Roger Federer summoned the strokes and resolve that allow him to chase records set by the greats of yesteryear.

And after Federer finally overcame Rafael Nadal in a five-set epic Sunday to win his fifth consecutive championship at the All England Club and 11th Grand Slam title overall, tying Bjorn Borg on both counts, guess who was waiting to greet him in a hallway off Centre Court?

Borg himself. They smiled and embraced, then chatted briefly, a tete-a-tete between the only two men in the past century to win Wimbledon five years in a row.

"To see him after the match - it was very fitting in my point of view," Federer said. "It made me a bit more proud of myself."

Federer takes the fifth with fortitude (latimes.com)

The world got an unprecedented peek at Roger Federer's guts Sunday, and it turns out they're considerable.

Hidden these last five kingly years by his celestial shots and his spiteful serves and his durable cool, they had never received a summons to contribute.

Never had Federer strayed into the fifth set of any Grand Slam final, let alone against a mobile blast furnace like Rafael Nadal. Never had he faced two bloodcurdling 15-40 games within that fifth set. Never had Bjorn Borg not so much sat as loomed in the front row of the Royal Box.

Roger Federer and Venus Williams wrote their names in gold on the green grass of Wimbledon. The Swiss held the Wimbledon trophy for the fifth time in front of most cherished Wimbledon champions Kramer, Fraser, Santana, Smith, Connors, Borg, McEnroe, and Becker. Federer said that the memory of all these champions present would remain with him for a lifetime.

Both Federer and Nadal at this Wimbledon were on Mission Borg. Federer to win five Wimbledon’s in a row like Borg and Nadal to win the French open and Wimbledon Grand Slams same year like Borg. For the first time Nadal became the first player to take Two sets off Federer. For 3 hrs and 44 mins Federer and Nadal battled for the Golden trophy.

Brilliant rallies, stunning court coverage, amazing accuracy in shot making, all together came like a bouquet of red roses in this historic Wimbledon finals.

Federer's Five Of A Kind (courant.com)

Roger Federer lost his temper over a line call and misplaced his magical groundstrokes for nearly two hours, but he never lost touch with his champion's heart and, in one of the most stirring Grand Slam finals in recent years, defeated rival Rafael Nadal Sunday to win a record fifth consecutive Wimbledon.

There was joy everywhere on Centre Court as Bjorn Borg, 51, the tennis icon whose record Federer matched, came down from the Royal Box at the end of this 7-6 (7), 4-6, 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-2 epic to present the winner's trophy.

Federer looks to surpass Sampras (grimsby.co.uk)

World number one Roger Federer on Sunday turned his sights on making more history as he equalled Bjorn Borg's record of five consecutive Wimbledon singles titles when he defeated Rafael Nadal 7-6 4-6 7-6 2-6 6-2.

He also drew level with Borg and Rod Laver on 11 Grand Slams, but now he wants to be the greatest of all time by eclipsing the feats of Pete Sampras who claimed 14 Grand Slam titles.

Federer, who with Borg watching won his first Grand Slam final in five sets, said: "It's on my mind, but it's not as if I say I have to beat this record otherwise it's no good. Pete Sampras is maybe the greatest player we've ever had so to break his record is not the easiest thing, I know that."

Once again I could not agree more with Rubenn. Roger played better when he had coach Tony with him than without him. You need a coach, the right coach, to imspire an motivate you. It's not easy to always motivate yourself and a coach might see something e

i think he is the best player in the world sampras has 14, he has 11 he sampras was only playing ace tennis,boring tennis he had a good forehand no small talk ,but federer has everything forehand backhand,he will pas sampras 14 ,no one will take that nmm

Dear Roger
I knew that it would come true.I did know it. I am so exciting .I am so glad for you ,too.I watch the game ,the final that I record again and again.So amazing is your performance.Especially ,it is so increadible in the 5th sets.You can over

Congratulations on a thrilling victory. What I notice about Nadal when he plays against you is that he keeps his showboating and fist-pumping to a minimum. Your gracious, gentlemanly behavior on court has rubbed off on him to some degree, whic